


Stained

by Vampiricalthorns



Series: Prompt drabbles [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Does this count as schmoop?, Fluff and Angst, Hair Washing, M/M, Schmoop, why is this a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-08 11:58:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18622861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vampiricalthorns/pseuds/Vampiricalthorns
Summary: Andoh, even if he’s dead on his feet and ready to pass out on their bed, or their couch or maybe even the staircase, a bath soundsniceand— and Roy washing his hair is a rare delight they used to have time for so much more often, but now, with Ed spending twelve hours straight in the lab almost every day and Roy having recently gotten a promotion— there’s rarely time for such pleasures.





	Stained

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rei382](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rei382/gifts).



> Not really proofread jeez

It’s been a long day, and _fuck_ , all Ed wants to do is to scrub himself clean of the imaginary grime covering his skin.

Dinner with Roy had been spent in exhausted silence. Ed hadn’t eaten much. He’d been so _tired_ , resorting to laying his head on the table in-between the few bites he’d taken.

He doesn’t want to worry Roy with what happened in the lab that day, but he has more than a sneaking suspicion that Roy already knows. Roy knows everything.

Even as Roy takes off his glasses and meticulously cleans them, Ed can see the worry that’s hiding beneath that handsome face and the faux-concentrated expression.

“Do you want to take a bath, darling? I’d be delighted to wash your hair.”

And _oh_ , even if he’s dead on his feet and ready to pass out on their bed, or their couch or maybe even the staircase, a bath sounds _nice_ and— and Roy washing his hair is a rare delight they used to have time for so much more often, but now, with Ed spending twelve hours straight in the lab almost every day and Roy having recently gotten a promotion— there’s rarely time for such pleasures.

He sinks into Roy’s open arms and sighs, because today’s been too much, been too tough, even for him.

It’s not before he’s situated in the bathtub with Roy on a stool next to it wetting his hair gently with water from a small cup that Ed starts to relax.

“Fire.”

He doesn’t need to see Roy’s expression to understand that he’s caught him off guard.

“Pardon?”

“It was a fire— in the lab today. It—” Ed looks down, into the bathwater that should be stained grey with all the grime on his body, with all the guilt that is supposed to be pouring off him in waves. It’s clear, with just a few suds from the shampoo running down his back. “It brought back some unpleasant memories.”

He closes his eyes and feels Roy’s hand card through his hair, detangling it before working shampoo into it. It feels like heaven and part of him wants to just sink into those hands working magic, but he knows— if he leaves this inside to fester, it will haunt him in his dreams.

“I don’t like fires. They remind me of when we burnt out family house down, which in turn reminded me of mom and of all the suffering I made Al go through because I made a series of dumb mistakes even though I should’ve known better.”

Soap water is running down over his face, making small sparks of pain erupt behind his eyelids. Almost before he’s voiced his complaint, clean water is being gently poured over his face and a bath cloth is wiping the water away from Ed’s nose and eyes.

“Was anybody hurt? Were _you_ hurt?”

No.

Not physically.

“I just.” Ed gestures vaguely with one hand since Roy is holding his other one and washing his back with the cloth and some gentle soap. “Feel gross. The memories crept up on me and just stuck in my brain like some mosquito. Those from around East City. The clingy bastards.”

Roy’s kissing his wet hair, kissing his cheek before drawing him into a gentle kiss. It’s clumsy, with Roy’s glasses knocking against him once before they adjust. It’s way less elegant than just about _all_ of their kisses ever, but it’s so _perfect_.

“It’s going to be okay.”

With how it’s whispered against his bitten lips, Ed feels at rest, and though the imaginary discolouration of guilt in the water isn’t gone, it might just be just the little bit less stained.

And when he’s gently pulled close to Roy’s bare chest underneath piles of blankets half an hour later, he slips away to the sound of a calm, steady heartbeat.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr @vampiricalthorns


End file.
